Improved clamp poe holding leather



ALVAH IITTENHOUS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters ,Patent No'. 81,293, dated August 18, 1868.

IMPROVBD CLAMP FOR HOLDING LEATHER.

@he Signale ttftmh in in tlgts'e- @sters @rent mit making gmt tf the time.

TO ALL WIHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, LVAH .RITTENHoUsE, of the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Stitching-Clamps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- AFigure 1 is a side view of my clamp with the jaws open.

Figure 2 is e. side view ofthe s ame with the jaws closed.

Figure 3 is a sectional view, showing the arrangement ofthe lever.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and effectual clamp for holding the edges of leather or other material firmly in place while being stitched.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation. v

I make the two jaws J and J' of my clamp of any suitable material, and in the form as shown in the draw ings. The jaws J and J' are connected together at the centre and on the inside by means of the metallic hinge II. The lower ends of the jaws J and J' pass through openings made in the lever L, the said lever being pivoted to the jaw J. The opening in the'lever L, through which tliejaw J' passes, is made to fit and conform to the curve of the lower part of the jaw, so that it will have a bearing on the jaw at all points, whether the Alever is depressed or elevated. The opening througli-whieh thejaw J passes is cut on an angle, in order to allow a freedom of motion to thelever. The ends-of the lever L project a short distance from the jaws J and J', so as to allow room for the foot. .l

The operation'of the clamp is as follows: The leather to be stitched is placed between the jaws J and J', at the upper end, the leather being held against the jaw J. The foot isthen pressed on the end of the lever L, which projects out from the jaw J', which depresses the lever, and thejaws J and J' being connected together at the centre by means of the hinge H, the lower ends will be spread apart while the upper ends will be drawn together, thus clamping the leather firmly between them. When it is desired to remove the leather, the foot is placed on the opposite end of the lever, which will draw the lower ends of the jaws J and J together and open the upper ends.

Having thus described my invention, its construction and operation, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The arrangement of the jaws J and J, hinge H, and lever L, substantially in themanner and for the purpose specified.

ALVAI-I RITTENHOUSE. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. EVANS,

Is'AAc. R. OAKronn. 

